Hunter X Hunter: The Next Generation
by dreamonkid
Summary: -20 years later- A new group emerges; forming an unbreakable friendship as they venture into another unforgettable HunterXHunter journey. The next generation has yet to discover what a true hunter is and the traumas of their parents' past.
1. The Child With a Fishing Rod

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own H****unter X Hunter, though I own their kids! XP**

**OK…that sounds wrong…**

* * *

_It's nearly time…_

Twenty years has passed since Gon took the Hunter Exam. And now, he was a proud father of one. He caressed the cheek of the twelve-year old sleeping form. Although night had fallen hours ago, he stayed up, and let his thoughts wander with the wispy clouds.

_Fathe__r…it's time to meet him. No matter how far you run, he will find you._

With one more hopeful look at his son, he left the room.

* * *

Morning rose; the sun was partly hidden behind the horizon, and the sky still tinged with a light orange tint. The light was so warm that Gon couldn't help but sleep even deeper. He had practically stayed up the whole night. What more would he want, but a long and comfortable sleep?

"Dad! Wake up!"

"Mmph…" Gon's eyelids were still heavy with slumber and was unwilling to wake up. "Five more minutes…"

"No! Dad, I'm excited! Don't disappoint me after all those years of your adventure-story-telling!"

_True…_Gon opened one of his eyes and saw a juvenile boy grinning widely at him. He has adopted a significant amount of his younger appearance; the dark hazel eyes, the spiky black hair, the innocent smile...He was pretty much like a replica. They were most similar in their buoyancy and their close bonds with nature. When the boy touched his father's fishing rod for the first time, he mastered his fishing skills within moments.

Gon suddenly jumped out from his bed and cried out cheerily to his son, "Then what are you waiting for? Hurry, Gen, and pack your things up, then I'll race you to the port!"

He had wanted to make his son's departing as happy and memorable as possible. Although his past was not as pleasant, he wanted to make life easier and enjoyable for his son. While Gen dashed to his room, he headed towards the kitchen to wait.

"He's just like you; bright, naïve and stubborn," Mito-san teased him. His old aunt no longer has the fiery red hair and the young features on her. Instead, her head was close to white, and had acquired more wrinkles since the time he last counted. Gon furrowed his eyebrows and placed his hand on his chin as he recounted, yet again, the number of wrinkles on his aunt's face.

His grand-aunt, unfortunately, was not there to see her great-grand nephew. She had passed away not long after Gon and Killua fought the chimera ants.

Few minutes passed by before Gen finally appeared in the kitchen, with Gon's old backpack, his fishing rod, and wearing a green shirt topped with a dark blue vest, matching green shorts and brown boots. He hugged his grand-aunt, and received a kiss on the forehead, then, walked to the front yard with Gon.

"Ready? Set…Go!"

Father and son raced towards the finish line. They ran through grass fields, the town square, and many townspeople who considered them silly and impractical. Although Gon had deliberately taken a few moments to lag so his son could catch up, he was first to reach the ship to Dole. He sighed and looked up at the familiar ship. There was someone waving up there, an old chubby man with a smoking pipe protruding out from his mouth. _Ahh! The captain! _Gon waved back.

"Who are you waving to?" his son was puffing softly by his side.

"Oh…someone you're going to meet soon," Gon smiled at him.

"Eh? Who is it? Who is it?"

"Gen…" The man bent down on his knees so that he was eye-levelled with his son. "You'll see when you get there. And some last words before you leave; your grandfather is not an easy person, even though he's as ancient as your grand-aunt. Um...and I'm sure you'll meet some friends along the way. Oh yes, I remember. Don't forget about that raw egg over rice recipe that I taught you."

"Don't worry! I'm gonna make you proud of me! Err...why do I have to remember that?"

"You'll see." Gon smiled at his son, "Well…your ship's leaving. Don't want to miss your chance, do you?"

"No way!" Gen hugged his father then hurried off towards the ship. While running along the wooden platform, he waved at Gon, "Dad! I'll promise that I will find Ging! And I promise that I will definitely make you proud! I'll be back as hunter. Just you wait Dad!"

Gon felt tears begin to prickle his eyes, but he could not cry at such a happy moment. He stood rooted in the same spot, waving to his son until the tiny, black speck disappeared in the horizon. Before he headed back home, he stood a little longer to savour the cool morning breeze.

_Gen, I'm already proud of you…_

* * *

On the ship were several obnoxious-looking faces. The ship was pretty much horded with tough looking men, sea-sick men, quiet and serious men...you name it, there was a variety of men. Gen scanned his surroundings, his eyes laid upon an empty spot on the nose of the ship. He walked then sat down, made himself comfortable, before throwing out his fishing line into the deep sea. He heard a sigh behind him, and twisted around to see a short, round man puffing away on his pipe.

"Just like you father, and your grandpa. Bet'cha gonna catch a fish soon," the old man chuckled.

Gen looked up at him with interest, "You think?"

"Why not? It always happened whenever I encounter a twelve-year old boy with a fishing rod in his possession!"

Indeed, Gen's fishing rod began to wriggle and squirm. He had to stand up and lean his whole weight backwards in order to pull up the heavy 'creature'. With one final tug, he landed a fish as huge as the one his father described to him, the scale-less one with whiskers.

The captain nodded at the boy with acknowledgement and left. Without looking back at him, he called out, "It could supply you food for a week!"

_Nah…you don't deserve to be food…_

Gen heaved the struggling fish then threw it out to sea. He watched the massive giant swim away frantically, deeper into the sea until the ripples on the surface was not as violent.

"Oi! You shouldn't have chucked that fish out! Such a waste!"

A tall boy much older than him walked towards Gen. When he was by his side, he stared at the water and tutted, "That would've costed millions of zennies! Gosh, don't you know it's a rare fish?"

Gen shook his head and grinned sheepishly, "But that's where it belongs…you can't kill an innocent life…"

The boy stared at him in utter disbelief, "Dude! It's a fish! Not a human! You eat animals everyday and now you're complaining? You are the strangest boy I've ever met…"

"Well it's too late now…" Gen shrugged.

The boy was about to turn back and leave, when Gen ran to catch up and caught his shoulder. "Umm…excuse me, but, what's your name?" he asked shyly.

"Hmm? Oh…Pietoro!" he smiled and pointed two fingers up in a 'peace' fashion.

* * *

Gen watched the lively boy chatter and boast for what seemed like hours. At times he would listen attentively, but soon would drift off into his own thoughts. _Pietoro…now where have I heard that name…?_

He looked at the tall boy and surveyed him from head to toe. _Jet black, spiky hair just like mine. Orange Hawaiian shirt, black pants, hmm…his suitcase doesn't match his outfit quite well…_

"Oh by the way, I haven't got your name yet," Pietoro interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm Gen."

"Gen…huh, an even stranger name!"

The smaller boy sighed.

The sky darkened considerably, but the lamps hanging on posts by the side of the ship helped the men make their way across. Most had already gone to sleep, some still lying drunk around the deck, and others prefer staying up late. Gen wanted to enjoy the night air, so Pietoro joined him too.

"Dad never lets me stay up this late. He says it's bad for your health. I don't get all these health stuff he rambles on about all the time…"

"Same here," agreed Gen.

For a minute, there was silence between them. It was not long before something caught Pietoro's interest. "Hey! Gen! Look over there…" he whispered to his companion.

Gen followed the direction to which Pietoro was pointing with his finger. His gaze landed on a young girl near the side of the ship, her chin propped on her hands, staring out towards the distance…

"I thought the males were only brave enough to take the exam…" Gen trailed off.

"Who cares! A hot girl like her sparks up the exam A LOT! Gen, although you're young, you can learn a lot from me. Just watch and learn…"

The boy protested, "Pietoro! Aren't you too young…?"

"I'm only nineteen. I'm old enough to court girls, dude!"

Pietoro walked casually and slowly approached his target. He stood by the girl and stared out to sea, waiting for her to speak up. But she didn't seem to notice him. She remained looking wistful, the night breeze playing around with her blonde ponytail, and the silver earring dangling on her left ear. He pretended to cough, but she remained in the same position, perhaps ignoring him. Growing impatient, Pietoro spoke up.

"Hey there! So watcha doin'?" he asked coolly.

"What do you want? It's none of your business," the girl demanded, but her face was calm.

"Well you're such a pretty gal, it's kinda impossible to not fall for me," he added to his statement by brushing his hair backward and flashing her a toothy grin.

Gen watched them by a distance, listening to every word the hot-headed boy said. He could sense the girl was growing uncomfortable, but he continued to amuse at the scene.

She growled at him, "I'm not going to fall for anyone!"

Without another word she left. Pietoro was obviously dazed by her words, and quite dumbfounded. Gen walked towards him, waving his face in front of his face.

"Uh…Pietoro? I've learnt a lot from you…"

* * *

"FIRE!"

Upon hearing the call, Pietoro finally snapped out if his reverie. He and Gen spotted smoke billowing from the storeroom under the ship. Men were rushing out like ants, and grabbing floatation rings each before jumping into the sea, which by now, were creating giant waves caused by the howling wind. Amidst the crowd of cowards was the girl, dashing back and forth while carrying a barrel of water, her ponytail swishing everywhere. One moment she disappeared under the ship, the next she came up to refill the barrel with drinking water.

"We must help her!" Gen raced to a nearby empty barrel and began to fill it up with water. Pietoro followed his process.

"YOU BLASTED TIN-HEADS COME BACK HERE OR YOU WILL PAY!" The voice of the captain boomed over the howls of the wind, the red spot on his nose turning scarlet. Nevertheless the men paid no heed to his angry commands. Soon, the red and white rings had run out. The rest of the men panicked and stumbled on the deck. The waves were making the ship difficult to control.

However, that did not stop the three people, determined to extinguish the fire. Although flames lick their arms and legs, they ignored the cramp in their limbs and kept on working. They've all got a goal; to become hunters. They don't want to drown and die now. A mere fire would not stop their road to success.

Suddenly, it started to rain heavily. Miraculous raindrops scattered across the deck, which seeped onto the deck and into the little storeroom. It was at last, when Gen and the other two poured in their last barrel of water, the fire admitted defeat.

With ashened faces, they sighed in relief. Gen coughed at the smoke while Pietoro flopped down to rest. "Oh God…what a day…"

"Wine and cigarettes," the girl shook her head in dismay. "A few men must have been smoking while drinking wine. When they were drunk, they might've accidentally dropped their cigars into spilt wine, thus emblazing the storeroom."

"Hey girl, we've just gone through so much…and now you're wasting your strength explaining something that nobody will be bothered to listen to?" Pietoro groaned.

"I'm telling you nothing but the truth. And excuse me, old man, but I've got a name," she glared at him.

"I'm Gen. Nice to meet you!"

The girl shifted her attention to the little boy and smiled sweetly, "I'm Karuhi. And for a young boy like you, you've done a great job. I would be happy to make your acquaintance."

"Why not?" Gen exclaimed joyfully, glad to have found another friend.

"Hmph…old man…why is she being nice to you? Girl…" Pietoro mumbled to Gen.

"I heard that!" Karuhi called out as she climbed out of the storeroom.

* * *

"Tch, serves them right. I told them they would pay but they won't listen."

Several men were flailing in the sea stuck in their flotation rings, begging the captain and other survivors on the ship for help. On the other hand, the captain enjoyed mocking them and sniggering. The sky was brightening.

"I would like to help ya but the water's too cold for this old man! HA HA HA!" he shouted gleefully.

He turned to face the three saviours and bowed his head. "I must thank ya guys for saving me lady last night. You guys are one of a kind, just like them!"

"_Them_? Who?" Karuhi perked up. She shivered at her slightly wet clothes, which consisted of a white skirt and her father's red long-sleeved shirt.

The captain snickered mysteriously while the three exchanged suspicious glances. "Ahh…you don't know? You guys will see for yourselves someday. I will reward you with a shortcut to the hunter exam centre. When we arrive at the port, go up to the hill in which you will see a huge tree on top. There you will find what you need. Well, must go back to 'drive' the ship…Good luck!"

He shuffled to the steering wheel and began to sing a sailor's tune. The others sat down comfortably by the side, and waited patiently for the ship to stop at Dole.

_The hunter exam has already begun._

* * *

**btw it's quite easy to guess who's is who's kid yeah?**** Killua's one will be introduced in chapter 3!**

**Does the name Gen sound weird? I think it****'s weird, but it matches with Ging and Gon lol You know…similar names passed down the generations ^^** **Hmm according to my calculations, Gon had Gen at the age of 20…is that too young? O.O **

**Plus during the story I won't be mentioning much of their wives because…well…they're pretty much minor characters. (No offense hxh ladies!)**

**Hope you had enjoyed :D **


	2. One Answer

There was a sudden lug for the ship has finally anchored at Dole. The passengers on board lurched and halted along.

"Ouch!" Gen stood back up and rubbed his head. The three companions unboarded the ship. After exchanging their farewells with the captain, they headed towards the town square. The other examinees separated in their own ways. Others were secretly following the trio.

"The tree on the hilltop…ah! There it is!" Gen pointed at the tiny plant kilometres away from them. "I guess it's a couple of hour's worth of walking…"

"What? It's so long" groaned Pietoro.

"But the captain recommended we go there," Gen pointed out. "I believe him, because he's a hunter. He's got that hunter mark on him."

Pietoro sighed, "I've learnt from my father to be careful and aware of people. He told me once about meeting the most naïve boy he's ever met. I bet you're just like him!"

Gen shrugged and started to walk in the direction of the tree.

"It could be a trap you know! _I_…recommend taking public transport!" Pietoro grinned expectantly at the girl.

"I'm sticking with him." Karuhi filed along after Gen. The nineteen-year-old was left to pout. _Gah…_

Spotting a taxi nearby, he went to the taxi driver. "Is that tree on the hilltop a possible destination?"

He was trying to get a glimpse of the driver's face, but his taxi hat was covering his eyes. He smirked smugly, "Yes, do hop in sir."

"The fee…?"

"It's free."

_Whoa, Gen and Karuhi would be jealous if I told them, _Pietoro sneered. He seated himself comfortably at the backseat, placing his suitcase on a spare seat next to him like any other formal man. The taxi took off.

It has been half an hour, but they don't seem to have gotten anywhere. The taxi was still driving endlessly through roads, shops, the town square…roads, shops, the town square…roads, shops, the town square…

"Oi! Haven't we past that before?" the passenger pointed at the familiar fish and chip shop. He was expecting some greenery, but the outside was packed with civilization.

The taxi driver snickered, "Does it matter?"

"Is this some kind of a joke?" Pietoro demanded.

"It's free, because I drive to where I feel is best. I'll take you there when I feel like it…"

But the teenager had already jumped out of the taxi, the taxi door still flapping. It swerved then disappeared around the corner.

_Idiot…_he thought to himself. _Gen and that stupid girl are gonna laugh at me like Hell…_

* * *

Meanwhile, the young pair was making their way up the hill. They had sauntered for two hours without resting. Karuhi was surprised that the small boy had contained such a great deal of stamina. But she was also aware that they were being followed by a few sneaky men, for they were trying to take a shortcut, and reaching the exam early. Gen showed no awareness, so she followed his example to avoid looking suspicious towards the examinees.

There was a rustle in the bushes; a rhino stepped out, growling at the two that had invaded its territory.

"Gen, step back," Karuhi whispered, reaching into her brown side bag, unsheathing her father's pair of tantos. She crossed the blades, crouched in a fighting stance.

"No, wait! It's angry because we had invaded its territory. We should apologise to it first!"

Karuhi watched him step closer to the rhino with deep fascination.

"I'm sorry, Mr Rhino. We weren't intending to cross your territory, so would you let us pass?" Gen asked as he bowed his head.

The creature seemed to understand him clearly. It emitted a low rumble from its throat before stepping aside to let the pair pass through. As for the men…well, some didn't have enough luck. Fortunately, Pietoro was one of the lucky ones, for he was there just in time to witness the rhino scene. He puffed and caught up with the other two.

"Phe-ew! That was tiring! You guys should've walked slower and waited for me!"

"Hmm? And I thought you were taking the taxi?" Karuhi teased him, waggling her eyebrows.

He protested, "But the taxi was too expensive, I had no other choice but to climb this hill! So there!"

"Tch."

Gen interrupted to calm down their hot dispute. "Well…I'm glad you caught up with us, Pietoro! Hey, look! I think I see a couple of buildings!"

They quickened their pace, and soon reached the city. They were greeted by stone buildings worn out with age. Rubbish and dust balls frolicked around the place. There was no civilization; the place was empty.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go before it gets dark," the nineteen year-old said cheerily.

"No, we must be careful. This place is filled with strangers," whispered Karuhi.

"What? I see no people!"

Pietoro pretended to search for people by forming binoculars with his hands, holding it up to his eyes. Obviously, he could not find any.

"They're breathing slowly…" Gen mumbled.

"Am I deaf? Or am I the only normal human here?" Pietoro laughed sarcastically.

It seems that Pietoro _was_ deaf. Several 'beings' masked in white and coloured cloaks were blocking their way. Some giggled deviously, while others murmured, _"Toki, toki, toki…"_From the crowd, a remarkably ancient woman approached; two rotten teeth poking out from the sides of her mouth, and her silky, long, white hair tied in a ponytail, reaching the floor.

"I've been waiting for you…"

The old lady turned out to be another hunter just like the captain, telling by the mark on her staff. She grinned at the three that stood before her, "Welcome to...THE EXCITING QUIZ OF TWO ANSWERS!" she suddenly screamed.

They sweat-dropped.

The old woman continued, "I have been waiting...for more interesting people like you, to stumble across this city. Year after year, I encountered witless people who cared nothing else but to become a hunter for easy money...and now...this is going to be fun." Her cackling made everyone's hair stand on end.

"But what is this 'Exciting Quiz of Two Answers' thing?" Pietoro asked.

"I bet it's exciting!" Gen exclaimed. Pietoro stared at the innocent boy as if he was brainless.

"The rules are simple," the woman explained, "I ask you a question, and you must answer with either ONE or TWO. Invalid answers are not acceptable. Time limit is five seconds…"

Several cheeky men that had followed them appeared unexpectedly by their sides.

"Let US answer first!" they shouted. "We don't want those fools to let us down!"

Karuhi shot them a death glare. "That is fine with us…they can go first."

The nineteen year old began to protest, "But…"

"Shh! If they go first, we'll be able to know the type of questions she asks!" she hissed. Pietoro nodded, disappointed that he was out-smarted by that girl, _again_.

"Alright then, this will be your question, gentlemen. Which came first, number ONE: the chicken, or number TWO: the egg? You have five seconds…four…"

_What? There's no such universal answer to this question! If we want to get it correct, we might have to guess what she wants to hear, unless…this is part of the exam? _Her father's intelligence was being slowly transmitted into the girl's mind, the same train of thoughts running in her father's head twenty years ago…

The men began to huddle and quickly discussed their answers.

"Three…two…"

Gen had other thoughts, _Dad had told me he was asked a similar question before…but he never told me the answer! He said that I must find out for myself! Aww…man!_

They eventually separated and stood up with confidence.

"One…time's up! And your answer is…?"

"The chicken!" the man in the front replied.

The hunter looked at him with interest.

"The chicken! Because it came before the egg in the dictionary! Plus, the chicken was able to come first, because the egg can't come!"

Gen smiled, _Wow! I never thought of that…_

The ancient woman backed towards her group, and they exchanged a few words. Seconds later, she came out and announced, "You may go…" The bunch of masked women retreated, leaving a straight path leading to the forests. The men sniggered at the easiness of the quiz and strode into the forest. The masked women resumed blocking the entrance.

"Now…"she turned to face the three.

Pietoro could not hold onto his anger any longer and bursted, "What kind of a RIDICULOUS question is this?"

"Pietoro!" Karuhi tried to calm him down.

_Just like __**him**__…cat-eye boy, _the woman thought. "ENOUGH! You are not to communicate with each other or you will be disqualified!"

They shut their mouths at once, eager to get out of this creepy place.

"Your parents were drowning from a shipwreck, they could not swim but you can…unfortunately, you only have a flotation ring just for one, who would you save first, number ONE: your father, or number TWO: your mother? You have five seconds…four…"

Karuhi remained silent. Pietoro's fists were clenched up, ready to punch the hunter…

"Three…"

She stepped on his foot, making him yelp softly in pain while clutching his foot…his face's a duplicate of a steaming kettle…

"Two…"

Gen was still taking his sweet time pondering about the question…_hmm…_

"One…times up! Your answer…?"

All was quiet.

"WHAT DO YOU EXPECT US TO ANSWER WOMAN? YOU KNOW THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION AND YET YOU WANT US TO ANSWER IN YOUR POINT OF VIEW! I SHOULD CUT YOUR SELFISH SOUL IN HALF AND BRING THEM TO THE HUNTER COMMITTEE!"

Unable to hold his outrage, Pietoro unsheathed his pocket knife and brought it down on the calm woman. But the blow was blocked with a _clang!_ between the knife and the blades of the tantos. Gen watched silently on the side.

"Don't you _dare…_lay a finger on her," Karuhi seethed.

"Girl…you're getting in my nerves…"

"Shut up!" The knife was suddenly knocked out of Pietoro's hands. "We passed. Are you still going to play around with us?" the girl spoke sternly.

"Yes, you are correct. You passed." The old woman gestured to her comrades, and they opened a brick wall. "This is the true path, you may go."

"What? Is that it?" Pietoro was dumbfounded. "What was the answer?"

"_Silence…_" Karuhi explained. "…is the answer, because there is no other solution to this question. You, yourself had also said that there is no right or wrong answer. You cannot answer ONE, nor can you answer TWO, thus to get out of this is to remain silent. Silence is a valid option since the woman remained 'silent' for a hidden 'third' option. Get it?"

The nineteen year old finally came to realise that his actions were wrong. He smiled apologetically to the woman, "I'm very sorry…I should learn to control my feelings and learn to respect others. I hope you will forgive me…"

"There is nothing to forgive," the untroubled woman interrupted.

Gen went over to pick up the knife and returned it to Pietoro. "Let's go! The others might've entered a trap, I heard them shout a few moments ago."

The other two nodded and followed him as they entered the dark tunnel.

"The tunnel is worth two hours of walk. When you reach the end, there will be an old couple waiting for you," the hunter instructed.

"OK! Thanks for the directions! Bye!" Gen called. The others waved.

"You three little rookies…I hope you will become great hunters!" the woman added. At last, the door closed.

"Gen, what's wrong?" Karuhi look intently at her friend's face which was scrunched up in confusion.

"Should I pick number ONE or number TWO?" he pondered.

Pietoro laughed, "Gen…it's over! You don't have to worry about it anymore…"

"But, what if that day will come, when you would have to decide between those who are close to you? Who would you choose…?"

Karuhi and Pietoro froze with shock, realizing what Gen said was merely the truth.

_Yes, that was the whole point of the quiz_, the ancient woman gazed at the sky. _Prepare yourselves for the unexpected, for reality is merciless…_

* * *

"I see them…they're coming!" the little creatures cried out.

"Hush, little ones. I think it's time for us to take our places. This time, it's our turn to be the couple." The mother creature transformed herself into a young woman, and the father her husband. "Now we wait…"

* * *

"The house looks deserted," Karuhi remarked.

The trio drew nearer to the little cottage, isolated at the peak of the hill. Night has fallen, and the calls of crickets and mini-beasts could be heard from the forest behind them. They had just escaped in a hot pursuit from a sea serpent, thanks to Pietoro's 'oar technique'. Their trip to the little house would sometimes be interrupted with howls from the wolves, and Pietoro would cower behind the other two. Once they reached the house, he knocked on the door, keen to flee the gloomy forest.

His knock was not answered.

"Should I…open the door?" he suggested.

The others nodded. He twisted the door knob then peeked through the crack, and was replied by sharp gleaming eyes staring back at him. He jumped back in shock.

"What is it?" Gen rushed forward to open the door, and was greeted with a bloody episode. A winged-creature had a man pinned under its foot, and a woman under its arm. Seeing that there was more human invasion, it flew off into the forest. Gen ran after the creature with Karuhi following behind, "Pietoro! Take care of the man!"

"What? What am I to do?" Pietoro shouted back.

But they had already disappeared in the forest. He stepped into the house and sighed at the injured man. _Gah…I wish I had listened more carefully to dad's annoying health lectures…_He found a piece of cloth and torn it into strips to wrap around the man's wounds, while soothing him with encouraging words. _They better come back soon…_

Suddenly, the man began to slowly transform. Antennas were sticking out of his head and bat-like wings were growing on his back. His nose grew longer, and his clothes were torn to reveal a brown fury body. But before he was fully changed into a Kiriko, Pietoro was already deep in the forest, sprinting like an athlete champion in the direction of his companions.

* * *

Gen and Karuhi swiftly leapt from tree to tree. The woman screamed with pain as twigs and branches scratched her while the Kiriko bounded into the darkness. All of a sudden, another Kiriko joined their chase.

_What? There are two? _Karuhi became even more shocked when the Kirikos separated into different directions. "Gen! You go after the other one! I'll take care of this one with the lady!"

Both of them separated and dashed towards their target. Almost immediately, they met again on a lake, but both Kirikos had already disappeared. Although they had lost sight of them, Gen could still hear them, and Karuhi could sense their movements. They twisted and turned to observe their surroundings but there was still no sign of them.

Gen piped up, "Do you think they're gone…?"

A Kiriko suddenly emerged from the water and leapt at Gen. The girl unsheathed her tantos, brandishing them in a cross fashion, and stood in front of her friend. "Gen…stay behind me…"

"NO! DON'T KARUHI!" Gen objected.

The kiriko lunged at Karuhi, its claws outstretched, dangerously closing in on her flesh. But just as its claw was about to touch her forehead, it froze on the spot.

"Why…won't you move?" it hissed.

"Because I believe in Gen. He said not to kill you, I trust him...besides," she replied boldly, "I don't think you intend to kill us."

It teased her back, "_You_…are so stubborn…"

"Eh? Aren't you the one that was carrying the lady? Where'd she go?" Gen chimed in.

"What? My twin has got her."

"No, you were the one that I was chasing. Did you guys swap?"

The kiriko laughed haughtily, and called out to the waters, "Hey! Sis! You better check this out! It's just like that boy twenty years ago!"

Another two kirikos emerged from the water, one larger than the other. They went and stood side by side.

"Little rookies…I think you've passed the test," the slightly larger one crooned in a deep feminine voice. She must be the mother.

Gen suddenly looked at Karuhi with concern, "Pietoro! We've left him behind…"

As sudden as Gen expressing his worries, Pietoro bursted out from the trees, and zoomed behind his friends, panting and whimpering. The Kiriko that had fun chasing him fell on the ground and roared with laughter.

"T-They're FAKES! Let's run…!" Pietoro moaned.

But Gen was dancing with happiness, "But we've passed the test! Pietoro, this was part of the hunter exam! Yes!"

Again, the nineteen-year-old was dumbstrucked. "Wha…?"

"Mr Pietoro, I must say, of all the examinees I've seen so far, I had the most fun with you. I was most amazed at your reaction timing, and your words were touching. Well done." The laughing Kiriko finally ceased its fit of giggles, and bowed his head. Telling by his heavy male voice, well, yeah, he's the father.

"To Miss Karuhi, I praise your faith and love for your comrades. I can see that you would rather sacrifice yourself, then see someone suffer the pain. That, is a very admirable trait." The mother kiriko, too, bowed her head. The girl blushed before returning the bow.

"And finally, to Gen. Your unsual kind only appears once in a while, it has been twenty years since the last of your kind were able to tell the difference between us. Your senses are of high standards. These would be needed in the hunter exam. I hope you'll do well." Brother and sister kirikos bowed their heads.

Gen scratched his head and smiled unsurely. "And I wonder who that _my kind_ of person is…?"

To Gen's disappointment, they shrugged.

"We are the navigators, and we will make sure that you would reach the hunter exam centre safely. Hop on!"

"Finally! Now we're getting somewhere!" Pietoro cheered.

The three companions grabbed on to the kirikos feet and they hovered off to their initiating destination: the hunter exam centre.

* * *

**Sorry is the plot a bit similar? I'm trying to make it parallel, so the plot is pretty much the same, but I PROMISE to change the exams to make stuff a bit more interesting -.^**


	3. Skater Boy

At last, they had reached a building of what they thought was the hunter exam centre. They gaped at the magnificent building, finely decorated and polished, reaching towards the sky.

Gen gazed at the building with awe, "Wow…I never thought the exam centre would be this big…"

*Dramatic music*

"Excuse me, but what you are looking at right now isn't the examination centre," the navigator, now in the shape of a different person, pointed towards a little restaurant. "It's that one…"

*Dramatic music fades out*

There was a sign with a picture of a sunny-side egg, peas and a lobster, flapping hopelessly on the front door. The restaurant looked worn out; the wood was tattered and scratched at places. The trio stared in disappointment. They had expected more to the exam centre.

"Are you KIDDING ME?" Pietoro cried in disbelief.

The navigator approached a man on the counter.

"How would you like your Brussels sprouts cooked?" the man asked mischievously.

"I want it black and burnt all over a medium flame, so burnt, that I can't eat it," the navigator replied in the same style.

The man smiled in approval, and gestured them to a room.

The three stepped inside. Pietoro, Karuhi and Gen were given number plates; 503, 504, 505, in that respective order.

"You'll need these for the hunter exams, good luck!" And the navigator was gone. A wall slid across and the room was sealed. Like a lift, it sank down, much to their surprise. They shared a minute of silence before Gen broke in, "So…why are you guys taking the exam?"

Pietoro began to speak, "My dad has told me, once you have the license, you can buy stuff for free, have discounts, enter any place…"

"Being hunters is not all about money," Karuhi said in disgust. "It's all about becoming one who could help others."

"Oh yeah?" he backfired. "Then why are YOU taking the exam?"

"That is none of your business."

"Ha! You don't even have a reason!"

"Gen don't listen to him, he's just a creepy old man who thirsts for greed."

"No! Don't listen to her! Hunters are all about gaining high status, and to be looked up to! Gen, you can get trillions of zennies! You can be a zillionaire!"

And it went on. Gen stood by awkwardly, glancing between them every second, until he was saved by the halt of the room. The wall slide open, revealing a vast and dark tunnel filled with hundreds of men, men, and men…a couple of ladies. The pair abruptly ceased their little fight, and entered the new place. They were greeted by a short, chubby man, his head bald, and his chin covered in a brown stubble.

"Hey there!" he shouted across to the newcomers. "I'm Tompa! Nice to meet you!"

_Tompa? Now where have I heard that name…_

Gen smiled cheerily, "I'm Gen, this is Karuhi, and this is Pietoro."

"Nice to know your names…now, would you like me to guide you around? I'm an experienced examinee."

"Experienced? How long have you been taking the exam?" Pietoro asked.

Tompa scratched his head a little embarrassingly, "Well…uh…I've taken the exam for fifty-five years now. I enjoy facing new challenges every year!"

The three companions gawked at the little man as a similar thought screamed through their heads. _FIFTY-FIVE YEARS?_

"Yes, yes, it's shocking," he sighed.

There was a sudden scream, and then a body thumped on the floor. Several gasps escaped from the examinees' mouths as they backed away from the predator and the prey. A man was clutching his thigh, heavily bleeding, a card half embedded in the flesh. Behind him stood a girl, around the same age as Karuhi. Her flaming red tresses cascaded pass her shoulders, and her face was emotionless. She simply turned around, and walked away, her number plate flashed '444'.

Tompa sighed, "Oh dear…she's getting restless again."

"What was that?" Gen asked.

"She's been like that since she arrived. It's been three hours since she came, and whenever she feels bored, she's uncontrollable." Tompa pointed to another man laying half-dead near a dark corner. His forehead was sweating and his breaths were short. A card protruded from a slit on his neck. The three friends shrank back in revulsion.

A bell rang. The examinees looked towards the direction of the sound. A mouthless man with grey hair and moustache began to make the long awaited announcement. "Welcome to the hunter exam centre. I am Satotsu, and I will be in charge of the first exam. I am impressed that all of you have made it this far, and I hope you all will try your best to become great hunters. The hunter exam will now begin!"

Numerous cheers erupted from the examinees. They were eager to begin.

"The first test will be…balancing a book on your head. You'll be following me for three hours. You must be able to keep the book on your head at all times. You may also keep it from falling by holding it still with your hands, though I guarantee you'll have a muscle cramp and your blood with rush down your arm. Let's begin."

The examiner walked off. Each of the candidates were handed a book.

"This should be a piece of cake…WHAT?" Pietoro was handed a thick encyclopedia. He stared at it in shock. "How the HELL am I suppose to balance THAT on my HEAD? It'll wreck my hairstyle!"

"The exam has begun and now you're worrying about your hairstyle?" Karuhi jeered, as she placed a moderately thick maths textbook on her head.

Gen, obviously excited with the exam, balanced his thin manga.

~x~x~1 hour later~x~x~

Satotsu quickened his pace into a jog. Some had dropped back and had already given up, but the remaining was determined to reach the other end of the tunnel, which includes those three. Apart from Pietoro, surprisingly, the others were having difficulties balancing heir books. Completely oblivious to the book on his head, he began to ramble, "This is RIDICULOUS! Completely ridiculous I tell you! Want me to spell it out? Absolutely R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S! Is this some kind of a joke? This is the hunter exam! Not some kind of kids' party!"

The others stared at him in amazement, "….."

"Huh! What do they think we are? A bunch of kids? This is TOTALLY RI-DI-CU-LOUS! This book weighs a ton! It's ruining my finely stylized hair! Let me tell you again, this is RIDICULOUS…! UGH!"

~x~x~Another hour later~x~x~

"…And why am I taking this exam? I don't know, but I'm telling you this is RIDICU- OI! That's not fair! You're not allowed to do that!"

At last, Gen, Karuhi and Tompa were saved from Pietoro's ridiculous speech. A boy slightly taller than Gen was sliding on his skateboard, his natural mop of white hair billowing as he took off from the ground. Despite the fact that he was travelling on a moderately fast pace, he was able to balance the book on his head. Tompa stared with incredulity etched all over his face. _No way! The skateboard...Is he a Zoaldyeck? I swear my memory is not failing me! Does that mean this group...?_ Tompa scrutinised the other three youngsters, and blinked in shock as he realised that they held a great resemblance to a certain group from the past.

"What? Is it against the rules?" he replied casually.

"But that's cheating!"

"They never said it was. I'm not disqualified yet."

Pietoro slapped his hand on his forehead, "I could've brought my scooter with me. Right now even a unicycle seems fine…"

"I'm Gen!" the little boy said politely. "This is Karuhi, Pietoro, and Tompa!"

The other boy remained silent and gazed towards the sudden voice.

"Uh…what's your name?" Gen asked unsurely.

"I'm twelve," the boy replied. "How old are you?"

Gen was thrilled, "Wow! I've finally found a person who's the same age as me, taking the hunter exam! I'm twelve too!"

"What about that girl over there? And that thing over there?"

"I'm seventeen, and it's Karuhi," the girl replied politely.

"THAT THING OVER THERE?" Pietoro exploded, the book wobbling dangerously near the edge. "HELLO? I'm a human-being, just like you! And for your information, I'm only nineteen, so don't go ahead and call me ojii-san! The name's Pietoro dude!"

"Are you sure? You look like as though you're in your twenties…" the boy teased.

"True," Karuhi nodded.

Since it was going nowhere, the nineteen-year-old gave up another argument, and concentrated on reaching the other end of the tunnel. It was not long before more people were falling behind, some shouting angrily, "Hey! Who took my book?"

~x~x~The final hour~x~x~

They don't know it, but even the name 'Tompa' spells trouble.

Satotsu had broken into a run, and they were the last ones running and skateboarding behind the crowd, especially Tompa, who was lagging behind. Several had either dropped their books, or it was 'mysteriously stolen'.

"What are they complaining about?" Pietoro glanced back.

Tompa shrugged, ignoring the cramp on his arms as he balanced the book on with his hands on his head.

"Eh? Is that a new book?" the white-hair boy goaded.

Gen turned around to face Tompa, "You're right! I remember you had a thick red bible on your head. What's with that green dictionary?"

"Mind your own business!" he snapped.

Taken aback from the old man's sudden change of voice, Gen shrank back and looked forward. But that wouldn't stop Karuhi feeling suspicious. She peeked back at the trail of fallen bodies and books in between, and realised that there was a pattern. Body, book, body, book, body, body…

_Huh? Where's his book? _She wondered. _Could it be…?_

Light filtered the exit and it shone like a prize waiting to be taken. Before she could even react to the situation, the boy had already knocked off the book from Tompa's head.

The chubby man glared at him, "Hey! That was…"

"-cheating. You had lost ages ago, but you had stolen books from other people," the boy finished off.

"Why…you little…" His face began to change from anger to wickedness. "Of course, that is my job. They don't call me the 'Rookie Crusher' for nothing."

The old man attempted to steal the boy's book, but he was not an easy victim. He simply dodged the man's grasp by skating faster, taking his place beside a surprised Gen.

His second attempt on Karuhi was also a failure, for she halted on the spot and threatened him with her tantos. "If you dare come closer, I will kill you."

He held his hands in surrender and whimpered, "OK, OK! Just whatever you do, don't hurt me!"

"Tch." She turned and caught up with the others.

The exit was seconds away. Their hearts were filled with triumph, until suddenly…

"Oi! Hands off!"

Tompa had found another prey. He was wrestling for the book with Pietoro, while he tried his best to keep his book stuck on his head. But the old man's grip had also caught a tuft of Pietoro's hair.

"My hair! What in the DICKENS ARE YOU DOING TO MY HAIR?" The nineteen-year-old seethed with rage. "What are you three staring at? Aren't you gonna help?"

The girl shook her head. "It's part of the exam, you have to fend for yourself. Otherwise, you could ask someone else."

"I'll help!" Gen volunteered. _Um…what should I do?_

He tried to hook off Tompa's arm from Pietoro's head by using his fishing rod, but instead, the sharp hook made a deep cut on Tompa's hand. "Ow!"

"Oops! Sorry Tompa-san! That wasn't meant to happen!" Gen cried out innocently.

"WHO CARES!" Pietoro blew up. "Let's just GET AWAY FROM THIS MADMAN!"

With him in the lead, they rocketed past many stunned examinees, with Tompa trailing from behind. Just as they got out from the tunnel, the door was about to slide down close. Some lucky ones were able to crawl underneath the large gap, including Tompa, who stole another book on the way. "Yes! I got through the first exam!"

They glared stink bombs at him, so he shrivelled away.

"Why you…" Pietoro hissed.

"Leave him. He's no more than an old, useless man," said the boy.

The old man glowered at him before stalking away. "Another year of tough rookies…"

* * *

"The first exam is not over yet, so keep your books on your heads," Satotsu declared. "We shall now run through the marshes, beware of the obstacles, let's continue…"

The candidates ran after the examiner, indisposed of the tiring journey ahead. The crowd dashed through trees, shrubs and strangely shaped and colourful boulders. At times, huge and bizarre creatures would pop out from nowhere and gobble up a few candidates for a morning snack. Some would just 'disappear'.

"This is harder than I thought…" Pietoro mumbled nervously. Gen nodded in agreement.

However, Karuhi's attention was allocated on the red-haired girl running close behind them. Every now and then, she would swipe a card at a candidate who dropped back behind her, considering them of no use, and her face would stay impassive.

She whispered to her friends, "I think we should move a bit forward…"

To her surprise, the boy agreed, "I can sense it too. C'mmon Gen, let's run faster!"

"But Pietoro can't, he's slowing down. I'll run with him, and you guys go ahead." Gen answered.

"Then I'll stay."

Karuhi smiled, amused at the boy's friendly attitude towards Gen.

The four avoided meat-eating plants, and jumped over giant hippos looming out of nowhere, but not all surpassed the shifting ground…

"C'mmon OLD MAN! Can't you go any quicker?" the boy teased.

The poor nineteen-year-old was ankle deep in thick mud, trying his hardest to make his way to dry land where the others were.

"OLD MAN? I can do with some help to get outta this freakin' mud ya know. YOU WHITE-HAIRED GRANDPA!"

Offended, the boy stuck his tongue out and turned his back on him.

Gen suddenly froze in shock and widened his eyes, "Uh…Pietoro…I don't think that is mud…."

Several others had literally sunk into the ground, some still flailing in the deep liquid, their lungs were slowly filled by the brown muck.

Karuhi gasped, "It's quicksand…"

By this time, the quicksand had already reached Pietoro's waist. Like the others, he was thrashing around with panic.

"I'm coming Pietoro!" Gen shouted as he entered the danger zone.

Worried, the boy followed him. "Gen!"

"Stop moving! You'll sink even quicker!" Karuhi warned. She too, entered the quicksand. But before she could take another step, she noticed another body thrashing about nearby. It was the red-haired girl, her face scrunched up in distress and determination. The quicksand has reached her elbows.

Karuhi moved closer to the girl until she was within arms-length, her legs were beginning to feel tired. She reached her hand out and murmured gently, "Hey, take my hand, and I'll help you out."

"BACK OFF! I can do this myself!" the girl snarled back. She continued to flounder in the hungry liquid. The sand rose to her shoulders as she sank deeper, her arms out of reach.

"Don't move. You'll sink faster! Just grab on to my hand!" Karuhi dipped her arm in the quicksand and rummaged around for the girl's hand.

"Touch me and you'll die!" The sand creeped up her neck…

Karuhi looked at her with disgust, and barked at her angrily, "Oh for HEAVEN'S SAKE! How can I die when you yourself is going to die first? You came here ALL THIS WAY, for what? If you want to achieve what you had come for, TAKE MY HAND!"

For once, the girl stared at her, defeated. She was now chin-leveled with the quicksand, half of her head remained. Without a moment's hesitation, she managed to free one of her arms from the sand, and grabbed hold onto Karuhi's. She tugged her with deliberate force before she could change her mind, and within a matter of seconds, she was laid on dry land, panting with exhaustion.

Amazingly, after a few moments, she was back on her feet and glared firmly at Karuhi, "Name?"

"Karuhi."

"Karuhi. When the time comes, I'll pay you back. Once." The girl turned around.

"Wait! What should I call you?"

The red-hair girl smirked, "A name for a name. I am Rin."

And she ran off.

* * *

Meanwhile…

"OJIII-SAAAAN!" the boy sang out cheerily. "COME AND GET ME YOU OLD HAG!"

The two boys were having trouble pulling up a heavy teenager. The boy had suggested a fantastic plan and Gen gladly agreed along. He has decided that they had enough, and perhaps Pietoro should get himself out…

"When I'm outta here…you're going to Hell…" Pietoro fumed.

"What? I'm going to hail? What in Pietoro's Beard are you talking about?"

Pietoro managed to shift a little out of the sand. Raising his fists, he yelled, "I'll get you for this!"

"You know what? I recommend plastic surgery!"

The teenager's face boiled 100 degrees Celsius. You can hear the teapot whistling.

"Your shirt is so lame…Look at your tie! It sucks!"

Fed up with the boy's taunts and mocking words, he bursted out of the quicksand and leapt for the boy. And of course, he simply stepped aside to let him fall.

"Yes! You did it!" Gen and the boy high-fived each other and laughed with victory.

Pietoro stared at Gen with piercing eyes, "No one…DARES INSULTS MY TIES! Why are you with HIM, GEN?"

Gen replied joyfully, "Pietoro…if it wasn't for him, you'd be dead. He saved you!"

He finally came to realise that he was no longer in the sand. He stood up and stared at his hands, the book still balanced on his head. "I'm alive…" he whispered.

He turned his gaze towards the boy and frowned, "I cannot forgive you for what you said, but you saved me. Therefore we are equal. C'mmon, let's go…"

Like the three of them, Karuhi was covered in sand from waist to foot.

"And what happened to you?" the white-hair boy inquired.

"Saved someone…" she replied, drained out.

"Good for you."

The four jogged at their quickest pace to catch up with the others. Remarkably, their books were able to stick to their heads after that unforgettable incident, probably by the bits of quicksand stuck in between. It was not long before they reached where the examiner had stopped. They sighed and flopped down under a tree.

_Interesting…it took them ages and yet they still managed? Another interesting year, _Satotsu thought. "We shall now wait until the clock strikes twelve. You may use this time to rest until the second exam begins. Congratulations for passing the first exam," He declared.

They all dropped their books gratefully and rested. Gen and Pietoro's hair was literally _flat_.

Pietoro complained, "My hair!"

"What's so good about your hair?" Karuhi laughed.

Gen chuckled along, then turned to the boy, "You're a great friend. You'd helped us a lot. Thanks."

The boy shrugged, "It was nothing."

"You know, you still haven't told me your name yet."

The boy stared blankly at Gen before he spoke out two words.

"Yuujiro Zaoldyeck."


	4. Passing Down the Burden

"You're a Zaoldyeck?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Isn't that a family of assassins?"

"Assassins? What are you talking about?"

"Dad told me once about meeting this boy from a family of assassins, the Zaoldyeck family. Maybe you're another Zaoldyeck, sorry…"

They soon lost interest about the Zaoldyeck talk, so they waited patiently for the long hand to strike twelve. And when it finally did, the remaining examinees stood up and chatted with excitement. The door of a huge building slowly lifted up, revealing two people. A posh and young lady was sitting leisurely on a couch, her hair was short, wild and pink, and her clothes showed too much skin. A massive old man sat behind her, his hair was grey from old age.

Gen gasped softly in astonishment, "Whoa…"

Yuujiro nodded in agreement, "He sure eats a lot…"

The stomach of the huge man groaned so loud, the examinees had to cover their ears, "Is it lunch time yet?"

"Shoosh, you old man. I wonder how mum was able to stand your annoying complaints…" the lady waved her hands dismissively. "ALRIGHT! EVERYONE BEQUIET!" she clapped her hands.

The candidates stopped abruptly and looked at her with eager eyes.

The lady began her introductory speech, "I am Katsuko and this is Buhara, and as culinary hunters, we will be in charge of the second exam. This year there will be a slight difference from the test from the previous years. Instead of two dishes specified by Buhara and I, you are to make one dish using only the limited ingredients and equipment that we have provided. Please come this way…"

She ushered the examinees into the large room. Each stood behind a bench, topped with a gas cook top, a cook pot, a plastic fork and a bamboo steamer. After they were settled, she sighed in satisfaction, "The exam will end after Buhara and I are full. The dishes that we have tasted and have pleasing content will pass. You may gather water from the river but nothing else. You may not help each other. All your ingredients are inside the bamboo steamer. On your marks…get set! GO!"

Immediately the people flipped open the lid and gasped in horror.

"How the hell are we gonna turn this into a dish?" a man cloaked in black, and a red band tied around his head, shouted out loud.

"Time is ticking! Tick tock tick tock…" Katsuko sang.

The others twitched and grimaced before they set off to work. Some was already heading out to the nearest river.

"I don't believe this!" Pietoro exclaimed. "I've never cooked before, and now they tell us to make some kind of delicacy out of this horrible thing which is the size of my hand? Unbelievable!"

Gen puffed up with pride, "I know how to cook! Dad taught me how to make raw egg over rice!"

"..." Yuujiro laughed at the boy's silly innocence. He glanced unsurely at the girl standing still on his left, her hand clutching her right eye. Since the time when she opened the steamer, her eyes were fixed onto the contents. She had not moved an inch…

"Something wrong?" he asked.

The girl held back a gasp. It was not the pile of uncooked rice that she was frightened of…it was the spider. Despite its huge size, it was already dead, so it was safe to handle. She knew _**it**_ was coming soon, so she hid her right eye with her hand, a tear began to swell on her left.

"I…" but she cannot get the words out. She quickly snatched the cook pot with her free hand and ran towards the river. Yuujiro stood in a daze.

"C'mmon Yuujiro! You haven't started yet!" Gen nagged his friend.

"But Karuhi…." He pointed to the direction where she ran.

"Oh yeah! Where'd she go?"

"She ran up that way. Her actions were so weird…"

Gen headed towards the river. Yuujiro followed his friend.

"OI! We're in the middle of a test right now! What do you think you're doing?" Pietoro called out. Feeling left out, he caught up with them.

* * *

It wasn't long before they found a whimpering figure hunched up in a ball behind a bush. Both her hands were hiding her face, her fringe drooped with sweat.

"Karuhi…" Gen approached her. "What's wrong?"

Upon the call of her friend, she stiffened and remained silent.

"If you tell us what's wrong, we're here to solve it," he assured her.

And yet again she remained stubborn. Gen gazed at Yuujiro for help, but he shrugged. There was nothing he could do.

Pietoro stomped up towards her and crouched down in front, "Don't waste our time girl, just spit it out!" He grabbed her hands and wrenched them off her face.

Suddenly, he shrieked and jumped backwards. He crawled behind the boys, "WHAT THE...?"

There was nothing wrong with her face. It was her right eye that stood out. It was not in its original azure, but rather a fiery scarlet. The other three froze in shock. She simply turned her head to gaze tearfully at the ripples of water.

Gen began slowly, "Are you…a Kuruta?"

Karuhi nodded, "Not a pure one though…"

Pietoro finally gathered enough strength to speak up, "Um…explanations would be handy…"

Yuujiro started to explain, "The Kuruta clan is famous for their scarlet eyes. Their eyes turn scarlet when they feel emotional…"

The jet-hair boy continued, "Unfortunately, they were massacred a few decades ago. Although one boy survived…"

"And how do you guys know all this?" Pietoro demanded.

"Father told me," the boys answered in unison. They stared at each other in surprise.

"But…if one survived, you don't happen to be…his descendant?"

Karuhi managed to smile weakly at the confused teenager, "I'm hardly his descendant. I'm his only child."

There was a moment of silence exchanged between the four. It was until Gen finally sat down and interrupted, "What happened?" The others sat down and formed a circle.

"What happened?" the girl turned to face them; the right eye still scarlet, the left blue. She whispered, "This was how it began…"

* * *

_He sat in the waiting room of the hospital, nervously fiddling his fingers. His first child was about to arrive, and he was to become a father. But he had a dreaded feeling. Something terrible was about to happen, something…_

_The door finally opened and the doctor gestured to him to come in. The frown on his face was an indication that something was wrong. He rushed in the room after the doctor. The doctor pointed at the young woman on the bed and shook his head, "She won't last any longer…we'll leave you two to talk," and he left. To his horror, he saw his wife breathing difficultly through an oxygen mask. And in her arms, was the child. _

_He hurried to her side. Before he could open his mouth, she smiled and spoke first in a raspy voice, "Kurapica…It's a girl. Here…take her."_

_He cradled the little sleeping bundle on his arms, "She's not crying."_

"_It's because she's a strong, just like her father…Isn't she adorable?" the woman coughed and wheezed._

"_Please! Stop talking!" Kurapica begged her. He didn't know whether to be happy for the child, or be angry at his wife's stubbornness._

_The woman began to breathe much faster, "It doesn't matter. I have not long to live anyway. Listen, Kurapica. Can you do me one last favour?"_

_Her husband nodded tearfully, "Anything." _

"_Promise me, that you will take good care of her. Promise me, that you will protect her. Promise me, no matter what happens…don't pass on your burden to her, even though she is part of your people…Her life depends on you…"_

"_I promise," Kurapica reached for her hand, and touched it gently. _

_She nodded her head weakly in approval. The machine measuring her heart-beats ran at a faster pace._

"_No…" Kurapica whispered._

_The woman's breathing grew rapid. "No…" he repeated. _

_Before she took in one last breath, a word escaped from her mouth, "Karuhi…"_

_Her hand dropped from his grasp, and her eyes glazed over. Responding to his emotions, his eyes turned scarlet. "NOOOOO!"_

_Hearing his cry, the doctor and nurses rushed in. To avoid them catching the state of his eyes, he tilted his head so his fringe would hide them. They lead him to a chair in the corridor, and rushed back in to remove the pale corpse. He shook violently with grief, until a soft movement on his arms broke off his painful feelings. Realising the bundle was still in his hands, he tried his best to rock the baby back to sleep. But he was unsuccessful. The child opened her eyes into a peep and began to cry. He gasped at his new discovery. Th__e child was born with one Kuruta eye on her right. Her left was the same blue as his. _

"_Hush now, Karuhi…" he rocked the baby more gently and she eventually fell into a deep sleep. He stood up, and prepared to leave. _

"_Wait! She's not ready to leave the hospital yet! If you leave, who will breast-feed her? She needs to be put into intensive care right now!" a nurse called from the hospital ward._

"_She's strong enough. I'll take care of her," Kurapica replied stiffly. He left the hospital._

* * *

"_DAD! COME! I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING!"_

_Kurapica sighed. Being a father is hard, let alone earning money and house-working at the same time. His apron flapping, he dashed out of the kitchen to the backyard where the seven-year-old girl was crouching down. _

"_Ne, ne…I caught it by myself!" she exclaimed childishly, pointing at the creature crawling on her palm. He followed her excited gaze and landed on a red-back. His eyes widened with disgust, "Karuhi! It's poisonous!" He pulled his daughter back and brushed off the spider. _

_She placed her hands on her hips and made a pouting face, "Aww…I had a hard time catching that spider, what a waste__..." _

_He shook his head and ushered her back inside the house. Like every night, he would cook dinner and she would either read a book or watch television. Kurapica brought out two bowls of udon and p__laced them on the coffee table. "Itadakimasu." _

_Halfway through eating her udon, she asked her father, "Dad, why __do our eyes turn red?"_

"_It's natural."_

"_Then why do I have to wear this blue contact lens on my right eye when I'm outside? That isn't normal."_

"_We were born with it but when other people see it they get scared."_

"_So why do our eyes turn red?"_

_**I think it's time she knows…**__he thought. "Do you really want to know?"_

_Karuhi nodded enthusiastically._

_Kurapica muted the television, and began his long lecture. He talked about the Kuruta Clan, the Phantom Brigade, and how he was the sole survivor of the clan. He talked about becoming a hunter, and the people he made friends with. And he talked about meeting her mother. Karuhi sat silently through the whole hour, dissolving in every word. _

"_-and you arrived at this world," he ended. He finished eating his udon, but Karuhi kept on staring at her father, her chopsticks dangling from her hand in mid-air. The flashing lights from the television danced on their faces._

"_C'mmon! Eat up!" Kurapica tried to cheer up the mood, but her mother's death was still plastered onto Karuhi._

"_I…I want to be a hunter." she mumbled. "I want to…avenge the Kuruta Clan. I want to kill those who killed our people…" Her right eye seemed to flash scarlet._

"_You're too young. And don't use such harsh words. If your mother was here she'd not appreciate it."_

"_But I want to be a hunter! I want to be just like you dad!"_

_Although childish and naïve, those words struck him like ice. He remembered the promise he made to his wife, __**'Don't pass on your burden to her…' **_

"_If you want to be like me, you will carry a huge burden. You might regret it…" he told her in a serious tone. "I honestly do not want you to turn out like me. But…if that is your choice, I will not stop you."_

_Karuhi nodded, "When will I be able to take the hunter test?"_

"_When you're older." __**I'm sorry…I had to break the promise…but this is what our daughter chose. We should let her be.**_

* * *

_Kurapica was proud of his seventeen-year-old daughter. After all those years of worth-while hard work and training, he was able to raise up a smart, pretty and skilful daughter. _

"_It's time to go…" Karuhi smiled._

_Her father ruffled her hair affectionately, "You'll come back. Will you?"_

"_Of course! I promise you, I'll come back as a hunter!" She threw herself on Kurapica and gave him a bear-hug. _

_He laughed and whispered in her ear, "It doesn't matter whether you'll be a hunter or not. All that matters is that you'll return safely." He broke the embrace and added, "I'll miss you."_

_She opened her bag and handed the case __that contained her contact lens, "I don't need these anymore."_

"_But…"_

"_You're such a worry-wart! I'm not a kid anymore, I can control my own feelings you know!"_

_He smiled and took the case, "Be careful…" _

"_I'll be back as soon as the exam is over!" The girl picked up her bag and shuffled her feet in her travelling boots. She opened the door and ran out joyfully in the open air, "Love you father! I'll be back!"_

* * *

Plunged into the miseries of her past, the three boys sat dazed. There was a hint that Gen was about to cry.

"Mother died, because carrying the Kuruta blood was too much for her," the girl concluded. "I was a monster, it was my entire fault."

"Karuhi…" Pietoro called out softly.

"You're not a monster!" Gen bursted out angrily. "Just because your mother died giving birth to you doesn't mean it was your fault!"

The girl was taken aback a bit, "Gen…"

"You've got friends, and we're all here for you. So don't think badly of yourself! Karuhi, you promised your father that you will return as a hunter, just as I had. Therefore, we mustn't give up now. A promise is a promise!"

Slowly, she came to realise that Gen's words had more meaning than what he said. She looked up at him, and grinned, "Gen, I'm glad I had you as a friend."

He smiled and they embraced.

Pietoro looked away in irritation, "Tch."

"Hmm…?" Yuujiro cross his arms behind his head and smirked. "Didn't get a hug from the girl? Aww…"

The teenager protested, though there was an indication that he was slightly embarrassed, "N-NO! It's not that! We're in the middle of an exam and we're wasting our time here getting all chummy and mushy!"

The other three gawked.

Karuhi quickly brought her pot in the water and laughed, "C'mmon! You guys are WAY behind!"

They ran alongside each other, just as good friends would. Gen looked at the girl. When people are happy, he is happy.

"Oh yeah…can I ask you a question?"

"Mm?"

"What was your father's name again?"

"Kurapica."

"Kurapica…I think my dad mentioned him before."

"You think?"

"Well…I've got short-term memory, so maybe…I don't remember." Gen shrugged.


	5. Of Spider Cuisines and Acrostic Poems

The place was a disaster.

When the four came back to the room, men were running about frantically while Kastuko was having a bad time yelling her lungs out. Melted plastic forks were lying about inside bubbling pots of water. Spiders were burnt. Rice was either overcooked or soggy.

"Oh, God…this is harder than I thought!" Pietoro slapped his forehead. "Oh well, at least we're not that far behind."

By the time the three boys returned with their pots filled with water, Karuhi was still having some difficulties experimenting with the spider. "What dish should I make out of it…" she muttered under her breath. And she set off to work. First, she made a vertical cut along the back, and made a new discovery. _Spider eggs…? _Deciding she has no need for them, she discarded them. She stuffed a handful of rice inside the body and squeezed it to seal as much of the opening as she can. Then, she brought the water to a boil. She watched the other candidates in dismay as their spiders got burnt in the boiling water. _What am I suppose to do now? _She frowned. _This isn't going to be easy…Surely they gave us these equipments for a reason?_

Karuhi observed the other works. There was one particular one that she was watching. A man was carefully holding on to a spider and cooking it with the heat produced by the boiling water. It has been twenty minutes, and his spider was still not completely cooked.

She smiled mischievously, _I see…_

She poked holes in her stuffed spider in order for it to be cooked more thoroughly, and placed it into the steamer on top of the cook pot. _Yes! It just fits!_

And she waited for the spider to cook.

* * *

"Eh? Spider eggs?"

Gen stared down at the cluster of eggs in doubt. He had no idea of what kind of dish he was going to make.

"Eggs, eggs, eggs…" he repeated quietly, hoping that the word 'egg' might help him.

The memories of his father's recipe flooded back into him.

_Gen! Crack the eggs, and use the egg shells to separate the egg white and the yolk. That's it…now, beat up the yolk until it's all runny. Cook the rice and pour over with the yolk so it'll be lukewarm and smooth… _

"GOT IT!" And he's off to work.

* * *

_If only the ingredients were chocolate life would have been much easier…_Yuujiro thought as he absently removed the limbs off the spider.

He watched Karuhi cook her spider and Gen's discovery of spider eggs. He shrugged and decided to cook the spider with what he hoped had eggs in it.

And he's off to work.

* * *

Pietoro stared dumbly at his spider…the spider staring back innocently.

"Gah…I'm probably the only one who hasn't started yet!"

His eyes lingered over to his friends' dishes. Scanning over them, he began making his own.

And he's off to work.

* * *

Flushed and annoyed, Katsuko sat on the luxurious couch behind a table and flopped down her head, "Trying to starve me HUH? I'm HUNGRY!"

She looked back behind her where a couple of guys stood grinning smugly at their success. "C'mmon…C'MMON! Don't tell me this is another year of wretched rookies!"

_Oh no…they have no patience in their blood. I'm pretty much stuck with her for the rest of my life, _Buhara sighed. _Is it lunch time yet?_

"Mm?" The lady looked up to face a blonde girl. "Oh FINALLY!"

She grinned with enthusiasm and reached down to open the lid of the bamboo steamer. She was greeted with a steamed spider stuffed with rice. The delicious aroma filled her nostrils. She grabbed her chopsticks and bit cautiously on the spider meat, her sharp taste buds tasting every flavour and flaw.

"Hmm…nicely cooked, tangy flavour, rice is soft and moist. Interesting dish. I think I will give you a…PASS!"

Karuhi squealed in delight has she joined the group mingling behind the examiner. A few minutes later, Gen approached the lady.

"Yes yes yes…more challengers!"

She opened his bamboo steamer to reveal a dish consisting a pile of rice topped with raw spider egg. She looked inquisitively at it. "What? Is that it?"

Poor Gen was hurt by those few words. He scratched his head and tried his best to grin, "Just try it! It tastes better then it looks…"

Katsuko first took a mouthful of 'egg-rice', and soon, she was digging in with eagerness. Grains of rice sticking all over her mouth, she nodded her head to a happy Gen, "Yep! This is impressive! For a boy like you, you were able to conjure a simple dish out of the most, simplest ingredients. No one has thought that the spider eggs could produce one of the best flavours in the world, yet. You pass!"

He ran towards where Karuhi was standing and they rejoiced. Yuujiro was up next. They gave him a thumbs-up.

"And what do you have?"

Yuujiro opened his steamer to expose the body of a spider.

"Uh…interesting…" The examiner poked cautiously at the brown lump and glared at him. "I hope there's more to this…" He returned her offending glare.

She picked up the brown lump and bit into the abdomen. Something golden trickled out.

"Mmmm…..OOOOOOOHHHH THIS TASTES GREAT!" The lady savoured the warm, runny egg. She licked her lips and grinned. "You PASS!"

"Tch." He smiled haughtily. He then walked towards Gen and they high-fived.

Katsuko felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up to face a giant man looking down at her with beady eyes. "Fine fine fine…but NO MORE! Seriously you need to lose some weight!" She handed Buhara the remains of Yuujiro's spider.

"It's my turn!" Pietoro cried out heartily. He placed his bamboo steamer onto the table and opened the lid with a gentlemen's flourish. "HOW'S THIS? This is called the 'PIETORO DISH', which stands for Perfectly Irresistible Extraordinary Tasty Overpowering Rich Overwhelming Dish-"

"-never mind about the name, it's the quality that matters!"

Offended, he silenced himself and glowered.

The lady looked critically at the dish, "You haven't happened to be copying others…have you?" she eyed him suspiciously.

Trying to hide the flush in his cheeks, Pietoro closed his eyes and spoke confidently, "Of course not! It's far from the same as the other dishes!"

She picked up the spider filled with 'egg-rice' and relished the warm egg and spider meat. A few awkward silences later, Katsuko's eyes flashed open and her eyes radiated the light of the brightest stars, "Oh my gosh! You're right! This is truly 'PIETORO'! YOU PASS!"

A wide smile smacked across his face, he walked towards the group of successful candidates and punched his fist in the air with triumph. Gen danced along with him, while Karuhi fell to a fit of giggles. She tried mimicking the examiner in a much higher and shriller tone, "This is truly 'PIETORO'!"

Yuujiro sneered in agreement, "This is truly Pathetic Insolent Extra-unordinary Terrible Offending Repulsive Oppresive…I think that's what she meant."

Pietoro glared at him, then snickered evilly…

"You Undesirable Ugly Jelly-like Indescribable Revolting Ogre."

The boy gnashed his teeth in exasperation, then squinted his eyes in accusation at the laughing girl, "What? Knotty Appalling Random Unbearable Heedless Insect…"

Karuhi shot a death glare at him. Gen stood by excitedly, "And I will be the Giant Eating Nomad!"

"What…?" His three friends stared at him as though he had no sense of humour.

"What? Can't my name stand for a Giant Eating Nomad? Oh well…WE PASSED THE SECOND EXAM!"

"This isn't the time to be celebrating," Katsuko walked over to them. "You've still got a long way ahead."

The remaining examinees nodded with a serious look. Gen looked around to examine the successors.

_There's a young man with the red band, he looks like a n__inja. There are six boys. They look so similar…Even the red-haired girl is there. EH? TOMPA?_

Before he could look further on, the sight of Tompa made him feel giddy. _Oh no…_

Soon a light breeze ruffled their hair, which grew into a strong wind. A blimp engraved with the symbol of the hunters landed in front. A man with a VERY long beard appeared from the doorway, "Oh ho! Congratulations for passing the second exam! I am Netero, president of the Hunter Committee! To avoid some hardships, we will be taking you to the third exam, so please board the airship!"

Stretching her hands in relaxation, Karuhi gazed down where the second exam took place, "I wonder how many more exams to go?"

"Who knows?" Gen took a sip of his tea and snuggled into his chair. The boy sitting next to him suckled contently on his choco-pop. Pietoro snored away.

_Father insisted I bring my ear-muffs with me, and I refused. I regret that…_The girl sighed and studied her friends, a smile creeping on her face. _I wonder if father went through all this too…_

* * *

**Whoops got carried away with the 'acrostic poems'. That was fun :3**


	6. Author's Note

**A/N- Edited the whole thing!**

**To previous readers: Sorry I had to remove the trick tower section because I've got a serious writer's block. I just COULD NOT continue from where I left off. I want to finish it, so sorry for any inconvenience ^^ (screams as tomatoes are thrown at me) Suggestions for future exams are welcome!**

**To new readers: Well, hope you have enjoyed the story so far! Umm about the trick tower, you guys only missed out on this rotation thingy, where there was this room with four stations (a little room, a karaoke box, stepmania, and this shoot-the-target thing), and the characters are basically being tested on different qualities. What else...Pietoro meets his deceased mum, Yuujiro doesn't like the fact that Killua was an assassin, and Karuhi gets a glimpse of Kurapica's past. I couldn't think about anything for Gen. -sigh-**

**Yeah, and if you have read my profile, I won't be continuing this until I finished my other story! I won't tell you which, but its also in the HXH fandom (still being updated right under your nose). Disclaimers apply: I don't own Hunter X Hunter.**


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